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Edmonton brewpubs face bylaw and zoning hurdles

A new company will soon brew and serving beer just off Whyte Avenue, but city bylaws could make it difficult for other brewpubs to set up in Edmonton.

Situation Brewing Company will hold a grand opening for their new location on Gateway Boulevard and 81 Avenue on May 25. The company will be part brewery, part restaurant and aims to give customers a look behind the curtain on how their beer is made.

“We just tore the curtains down and we built our brewery a block off Whyte Avenue,” said founder Wayne Sheridan.

Sheridan said he wanted a brewery that would involve the public in a central part of the city.

“We could make beer for Edmontonians anywhere in Edmonton, but more than that we want to show people the process,” he said.

In 2013, the Alberta Liquor and Gaming Corporation removed rules that forced any potential brewer to be able to brew at least 500,000 litres of beer a year.

Last year, they further removed restrictions to allow breweries to open restaurants and tap rooms on their premises.

The changes have led to a flurry of new brew pubs in Calgary, which recently changed its zoning bylaws to create a new class for breweries.

But Edmonton hasn’t seen nearly the same boom in interest. Situation is the only company coming forward so far.

Sheridan said it was difficult to find a good spot for his brewery, but city staff helped a lot with his particular application.

“There is a way that they made it work, but it took us about three months,” he said.

Sheridan said the provincial government’s changes will drive interest in more breweries, but added that the city should consider new zoning rules to make it easier.

He said new start-ups will want to be in a core part of the city, not an industrial park, which is where bylaws would currently put breweries.

“No one wants to do that in a factory somewhere in south Edmonton — they want to do it in an interesting location.”

Harry Luke, a senior planner with Edmmonton for commercial and industrial development, said the city hasn’t had enough interest to consider changing bylaws for brew pubs.

“We don’t have any call to make any changes. We haven’t had a rush of applications to amend our zoning bylaw,” he said.

Luke said the city can be flexible and find ways to accommodate new businesses without re-writing the bylaws, but he said right now there aren’t business looking for changes.

“We don’t have any formal requests to review the zoning bylaw with respect to micro-breweries.”

“You have to dream big. If we want to be a little city, we dream small. If we want to be a big city, we dream big, and this is a big idea.” - Mayor Stephen Mandel, 02/22/2012

Why should the city be proactive in this case? Why should my tax dollars be wasted pre-maturely for a business request that may or may not ever come to fruition ? Shouldn't the business owners be proactive themselves and get a head of the eight ball instead of blaming city hall?

Why should the city be proactive in this case? Why should my tax dollars be wasted pre-maturely for a business request that may or may not ever come to fruition ? Shouldn't the business owners be proactive themselves and get a head of the eight ball instead of blaming city hall?

Jebus.

Originally Posted by noodle

Seriously. The City can barely manage the stuff on its plate, the last thing we need is the Administration being "proactive" & piling more on.

Seriously? The city has the resources to make changes that reduce red tape. Would-be business owners might not.

Besides - the interest is there. Situation and Ritchie prove it. Now let's open it up so those with less backing can take a stab at it.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction" - Blaise Pascal

Seriously? The city has the resources to make changes that reduce red tape. Would-be business owners might not.

Besides - the interest is there. Situation and Ritchie prove it. Now let's open it up so those with less backing can take a stab at it.

They've got a lot of other zoning snafus & red tape issues to deal with before getting down to brewpubs. Should they look at it? Sure. Before things that affect far larger issues than where people get their drink on? Hell no.

Giving less of a damn than ever… Can't laugh at the ignorant if you ignore them!

Noodle it isn't rocket science to define "Brewpub" or "Microbrewery" and add to zones as permitted/discretionary. When new types of property uses pop up, they have to do this.

For instance right now municipalities across the province are in a mad rush to define "commercial marijuana grow operation" given the new medical facilities opening up, and depending on what JT and the libs do they will have to define "marijuana dispensary" as well next year.

Sometimes regulations or demand mean that the LUB no longer suits the City's need. It isn't difficult to amend and update - especially with a regulated property (the definition is already there and can be tied to licensing).